Narrative accounts of women who use complementary and alternative medicine in pregnancy: 'Forewarned, forearmed and relaxed'

Pregnancy and childbirth are events of major significance in women’s lives. In western countries women are increasingly using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (see glossary of terms) during this time. However, there is little research exploring and minimal empirical evidence to judge the significance and impact of CAM on pregnancy and childbirth. This thesis explores the experiences of women who use CAM during pregnancy and childbirth in an attempt to understand the meaning they ascribe to CAM use.A narrative approach was chosen to explore women’s experiences of CAM as it emphasises the meaning that individuals ascribe to life events (Czarniawska 2004, Elliott 2005). Additionally, through narratives it is possible to learn about the world of individuals, about their lives and their experienced reality (Engel et al. 2008).A purposive sample of 14 women who had used a variety of complementary therapies during pregnancy and childbirth participated in the study. Women’s narratives were obtained through open ended interviews on two or three occasions. The narratives were analysed using a 5 stage process. The words of one participant eloquently portrayed the significance and meaning of CAM use as one of being ‘Forewarned, Forearmed and Relaxed’. These words then became a framework to re-present participants’ narratives.Beck’s (1992a) and Giddens’ (1990) concept of risk and reflexivity provides a theoretical framework to aid interpretation of the data. The study findings offer insights into how CAM meets women’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs during pregnancy and childbirth. CAM use signifies women’s desire to achieve a normal birth without medical intervention, a need to make choices and be in control of their healthcare practices and a desire to enjoy their pregnancy and birth without fear

Complementary and alternative medicine : facts and figures (part I)

Complementary and alternative medical practices are flourishing despite the current fast pace of scientific research and discovery. Traditional practices combine with newer philosophies to make up the vast spectrum that constitute this phenomenon. To describe homeopathy and acupuncture, proposed mechanisms of action, present scientific research to prove or disprove their efficacy and discuss safety issues. Studies, reviews and meta-analyses dealing with this subject were researched from various publications to present evidence for or against the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine. Recent rigorous studies on acupuncture and homeopathy show no results beyond what is attributable to placebo effect. Complementary and alternative medical practices should be researched for efficacy and safety by the same standards used in conventional medicine.peer-reviewe

The Correlation Between Being Informed on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Its Reported Use Among Cancer Patients in Yogyakarta

Background: Previous studies have indicated that the majority of cancer patients have used self-selected Complementary and Alternative Medicine to relieve disease-related symptoms and treatment-related adverse effects untreated by conventional treatment to improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, studies on Complementary and Alternative Medicine use among cancer patients, especially in Yogyakarta, the city with the highest cancer prevalence in Indonesia, are still limited.Objective: This present study aims to identify the correlation between being informed on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and its reported use among cancer patients.Methods: This study was a descriptive correlational study on 75 consenting cancer patients. The respondents were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data about their Complementary and Alternative Medicine use were collected by administered questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis.Results: 25.3% of respondents had used Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Being informed on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and its reported use among cancer patients were significantly correlated (r=0.331; p=0.002).Conclusion: Complementary and Alternative Medicine use among cancer patients was still limited. Health providers need to discuss Complementary and Alternative Medicine use with their patients openly

Relationships and implications for complementary and alternative medicine in Aotearoa New Zealand: A discussion paper

The purpose of this paper is to initiate a discussion on contextualising the relationship between the nursing profession and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within Aotearoa New Zealand. There is limited research and data linking complementary and alternative medicine to nursing or how this could be integrated into health care delivery. The authors’ intentions are to raise awareness of a trend within health and wellness that could have implications for the nursing profession in Aotearoa New Zealand. Existing knowledge from overseas research is discussed to raise awareness on complementary and alternative medicine knowledge and any perceptions or educational needs nurses may require when considering the utilisation of complementary and alternative medicine. A range of questions are presented aimed at highlighting areas of development and future research for nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand if complementary and alternative medicine therapies or theory are applied within mainstream health care settings. Ngā ariā matua Te kaupapa ia o tēnei tuhinga he wāhi i te kōrero kia whakatatangia mai te hononga o te umanga tapuhi ki ngā rongoā tāpiri, kaupapa tuarua hoki (CAM) i Aotearoa. He iti noa ngā rangahau me ngā raraunga e tūhono ana i ngā rongoā tāpiri, kaupapa tuarua hoki ki te ao tapuhi, me pēhea rānei e taea te tūhono ki te horanga taurimatanga hauora i Aotearoa. Te whāinga ia o ngā kaituhi he whakapiki i te māramatanga ki tētahi ia i roto i te hauora me te waiora e puta ake ai he pānga ki te umanga tapuhi i Aotearoa. Ka whakamahia ngā mōhiotanga mai i ngā rangahau i tāwāhi hei whakapiki i te māramatanga ki ngā rongoā tāpiri, kaupapa tuarua hoki, me ngā kitenga, ngā hiahia whakangungu rānei e tika ana mā te tapuhi ina whakaaro ake ki te whakamahi i ngā rongoā tāpiri, kaupapa tuarua hoki. Ka tāpaetia mai te huhua o ngā pātai hei miramira i ngā wāhanga mō te whanaketanga me ngā rangahau mō te mahi tapuhi i Aotearoa mehemea ka whakamahia ngā rongoā tāpiri, kaupapa tuarua hoki i ngā horopaki hauora auraki

Attitudes Toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage has increased throughout the years, as many people are becoming interested in using less conventional interventions for common illnesses. As a whole, CAM encompasses any practice used to treat an illness or disorder that does not fall under the category of traditional medicine. CAM interventions not only treat the physical aspects of health, but as clinicians are beginning to realize, these interventions may also be effective in treating psychological problems, most notably anxiety and depression. This research focused on attitudes toward CAM for psychological disorders. I examined participants’ attitudes about the use of CAM in relation to psychological symptoms. I hypothesized that younger participants will have more positive attitudes toward CAM than will older participants. I also aimed to determine if differences emerge based on other demographic variables, such as gender or personal experience with CAM. I hypothesized that women and participants with more experience with CAM will also hold more positive attitudes. I developed a Likert scale survey with 20 statements for participants to rate from 1 (I strongly disagree with the statement) to 5 (I strongly agree with the statement). These questions focused on determining the participants’ attitudes toward the use of CAM for mental health treatment. In addition, participants were asked to provide their age, gender, and degree of experience with CAM. I found that females held more positive attitudes than males, older participants held more positive attitudes than did younger participants, and past usage had no effect on attitudes